There was speculation that the team would only keep two quarterbacks after Mallett struggled this month while rookie Jimmy Garoppolodrew high grades for his work in the first three preseason games.

Garoppolo's uneven performance in the preseason finale might have convinced the coaching staff they are better off carrying Mallett as Tom Brady's top caddy. However, the Patriots haven't made clear whether Mallett or Garoppolo is their backup quarterback.

The Texansare expected to claim Mallett, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports, if the Patriots have a change of heart before the season opener. Rapoport added teams knows how bullish the Texans are on Mallett, so that could be the key to the Patriots finding a trade partner.

If the Patriots pluck a few players off the waiver wire on Sunday, it's still possible that Mallett will get squeezed off the roster.

You can track all the cuts as NFL teams reduce their rosters to 53 right here.